Postpartum morbidities in Iranian women 5 years after childbirth: A longitudinal study

Background: Awareness about the extent of maternal physical and emotional health problems after childbirth is increasing, but few longitudinal studies have been published. Aims: The aim of this study was to describe changes in the prevalence of maternal health problems in the 5 years after birth and their association with parity. Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted in Mahabad, a city in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran. The study population comprised women who visited public health-care centres for routine antenatal care from May 2009 to September 2013. Findings: Based on a sample size analysis, 311 women were recruited to the study. Over the 5-year period, 32 participants were lost to follow-up, with a total of 279 participants completing all five stages of the research. Overall, the majority (94%) of postpartum morbidities did not resolve within the first week, and 26% of participants reported experiencing issues 5 years postpartum. Adjusting for the method of birth, primiparous w...